Sunday, December 22, 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

This delightful children's book follows a family through the entire holiday season, from baking and decorating, visiting and shopping, from the first sight of red ribbon in a shop window to the boxes of used wrapping and dangling tinsel put out in the dustbins. All through the book are the wonderful pictures of Peter Spier - this is a "true" picture book - no words. And yet, the story is told in the bright, ringing tones of a Christmas bell. Out of print and rather expensive (even on Amazon) you should find a copy at your local library.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

I've been dealing with some health issues for a month or so and haven't been in the studio very much - good to know that my big black cat Mouse is on guard keeping things ready for me to get back in there!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

One thing I love to collect are old bunches of letters - I'm old enough to remember when all our communication was done this way and there's a delightful nostalgia about the stamps, postmarks and old envelopes.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Friday, December 6, 2013

Here's the piece for Bronwyn's birthday, titled Becky & Paul. I started with a 12x16" deep-sided frame. I painted the canvas side in a cool green that was a favourite shade of both my parents. I also painted the sides and the small turned in edge of canvas on the back. The wooden stretchers were painted with Tim Holtz Distress Crackle in Antique Linen. The vintage carpenter's rule is for my dad's love of building and working with wood. The knitting needles for my mom who spent so much time with them in her hands creating beautiful sweaters for us. Bronwyn is a knitter too.

For the back ground I made copies of their wedding certificate on parchment paper. The three pictures that Bronwyn asked for went on next. They were scanned and then printed on cotton fabric, which I fringed and then attached with horizontal brads.

I used a WWII medal and uniform ribbon, a uniform button and a small propeller to represent my dad's military service.

Her school letter and class ring - Citrus High School, Azusa class of '43 - and a donkey from her collection surround my mom's picture. All were attached with brads or heavy gel medium.

Small copper number pins (used for storm windows in days gone by) show their birth years.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

A few months ago my daughter Bronwyn asked if I could do an art work about my mom and dad, her grandparents. She knows I work better with a deadline so she said "For my birthday maybe?" I ask what kind of piece she wanted and she said anything, the only caveat being that I needed to use these three pictures.

My mom in her backyard in Azusa, California during the war years.

He grew up in Malone, New York
and joined the air corps in his early ‘20’s.
He was stationed at Edwards Army Air Corps Base with his buddy Red. One day Red was going to Azusa to meet his girlfriend Audrey and said
“Why don’t you come along Paul, maybe she’s got a friend!”

She was born in Azusa, California
and was still in her mid-teens when her friend Audrey said “Come out with me
tonight, Red said he’d bring a friend along.”

He was 25, she was 16. She was Presbyterian, he was Catholic. He
quit school after 8th grade to help support the family, she was on
her way to college. She was outspoken,
feisty and full of love. He was quiet,
thoughtful and full of love.

My dad in his Air Corps uniform in San Dimas Park, California

She wrote to him everyday when he was sent over seas – to Africa, to Italy, to France and Germany. He was de-mobbed in early October of 1945. As soon as he could, he hopped a cross country train to California. There was no scheduled stop in Azusa for passenger trains, but everyone on the train said “Come on, stop so the soldier can get off and see his girl!” The train didn’t stop but slowed enough that he could jump off to the clapping and cheering of all the other passengers.

Barely 3 weeks later, on October 28, they were married at St. Frances of Rome in Azusa. Her sister Harriet (Tat) Dark and her brother-in-law (married to her sister Betty) Everett Hendrix were the witnesses. She wore a dress she made herself, he wore his army dress uniform. Friends and family celebrated with them at her parents’ house on Soldano Ave. in Azusa.

He and she were married for 54 years, had four children, and a very happy life together.

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About Me

We are all artists--so when creativity calls, be sure to answer!
Growing up in Azusa, California, my kindergarten teacher gave me an "unsatisfactory" in
Cut&Paste, and I believed her for 50 years. Now I am a mixed media artist and work in a library.